Zimbabwe Info Delegation on Visit

By Emma Kakololo WINDHOEK A delegation from Zimbabwe is in Namibia for a meeting to discuss the two countries’ bilateral agreement on information and media, namely the joint venture between Zimpapers and New Era Publications Corporation. The three-day meeting that started yesterday will also explore possible ties between the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH), and also the two countries’ news agencies, the Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) and New-Ziana. So far, the Southern Times newspaper is the only project out of the agreement whose progress over the past 15 months of its existence would be scrutinised to make further possible headway. “I am very confident that we shall use these interactions over the few days to critically assess and review our progress and challenges in order to come up with strategies and plans aimed at ensuring that we realise our objectives,” Namibian Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Loini-Nyanyukweni Katoma told the meeting. She said although some successes were made, challenges still remain that need to be address head-on. “Equally, other institutions such as the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Holdings (ZBH), the Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) and New-Ziana have started their discussions and working arrangements aimed at ultimately forming joint ventures in the long run,” she stated, adding that whatever the hiccups, she was confident that they would be overcome. Zimbabwean Permanent Secretary and Head of Delegation, George Charamba, noted that the Southern Times was a bridge to narrow the dominating voice of the north over the south. “Embedded structures of information changed over the time. It grew to become worse. The balance between the north and the south. Those in the south remained listeners,” he said. He added that the north defines the day or health of the people in the south. “If they say you are not well, you are bound to feel like that.”